New Grad researching nursing in different states

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Hey y'all,

I'm about to finish my BSN and get out into the world and start working.

I'm wondering about starting pay in different states/different hospitals around the country.

I'm currently in Louisiana. There are two main hospital systems here: LCMC and Ochsner.Ochsner starts new grads at $30/hr with $5 differential for nights and weekends.LCMC starts new grads at $28/hr with full benefits or $35 per hour with limited benefits.

I'm trying to get a gauge of pay rates in different states so that I can compare them to living costs and figure out if I should stay where I am or move out of state. One hospital that I am specifically interested in is Children's Hospital in Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus. I'd like to work mainly in pediatrics ICU, but am also interested in working in trauma eventually.

EDIT: Also, is it possible to join an agency right out of school? I know travel nursing requires experience and I'm not trying to do that fresh out of school. I've heard of some people joining an agency and doing things like school nursing or other things in their home area. I don't know much about agencies at all.

Thank you so much!

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